Mooring shackle



NOV. 13, 1951 -1 E, CHISHOLM v 2,574,859

MOORING SHACKLE Filed Feb. ll, 1948 Patented Nov. 13, 1951 UNITED esTATEs PATENT'I* y oFF-ICE f @574,859

y MooRrNGfI sHAoKLE `John Elmer chisho'hmMeafora, Mass. Appiiatmn February 11, 194s, serial No. 7,689

This invention relates to a mooring shackle and its principal object is to provide a releasable shackle which can be inserted through and automatically locked to a loop memberor ring carried by an anchonweight or the like stationary member located on the iioor of a harbor or anchorage, and which cancbe easily released or disengaged from the loop or-ring by a simple manipulation of a control, without disturbing the anchor.

Further objects will be apparent from a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, with parts broken away and shown in section, of a mooring shackle constructed in accordance with the present invention; f

Fig. 2 is an elevation, as viewed from a position at right angles to Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view; Y

Figs. 4 and 5l are sections on the lines 44 and 5--5, respectively, of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a view illustrating the manner of using the shackle. Y I

The shackle S'herein shown for the purpose of illustration comprises a tubular vbar I whichY is screw-threaded at its ends 2 and 3 to receive a crossbar 4 and a cap 5, respectively. The crossbar 4 is formed adjacent to its' opposite ends with openings 6 and 'I to provide means by which a mooring line or anchor chain 8 may be secured, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and the cap 5 is likewise provided with an opening II) by means of which one end of a line I2 (Fig.` 6) may be secured thereto.

The upper portion of the bar I is formed with diametrically disposed slots I4 and I5 and a generally triangular plate I6 is slidably mounted in the slotted portion with its opposite inner ends projecting laterally from the bar to provide lugs II and I 8. Beneath the slotted portion the bar I carries a collar 20 having diametrically disposed projections, the upper surfaces of which are formed with grooves 2I (Fig. 3). An actuating rod or plunger 24 is slidably mounted within the upper end of the bar I and the inner end of this rod is connected to the plate I6. The upper end of the rod 24 projects outwardly beyond the crossbar 4 and carries a head 25 having an opening 26 by means of which either the opposite end of the line I2 or end of a control line I2a may be attached, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

A coil compression spring 28 is disposed within the upper end of the bar I so that one end acts on the plate I6 and its opposite end on a bushing `4 claims. (o1. 114-221) 30 (Fig. 3) having a press iit within the bar I. 'I'he spring 28 normally urges the. plate I6 inwardly against the collar 28 but permits the plate to slide upwardly by pulling the rod 24.

The opposite end oi the bar I is slotted to receive a small crossbar 32 the opposite ends of which project laterally from the bar I to provide fixed ears 33 and 34 contiguous to the iianged or shouldered inner end 35 of the cap 5. The corresponding ends of two pairs of diametrically dis.- posed toggle links or members 36, 36a. and 31, V31a rare loosely pivoted to the 'lugs I'I, I8 and the ears 33, 34, the construction and arrangement of parts being such that the toggle links are normally held in expanded position (Figs. 1 to 3), wherein they project laterally from the bar I.;

The pivotal connection betweenfeach pair.. of

toggle links, as shown-iin'Figs. 2 an'd 3, is'suciently loose to permit stress to be borne by their interengaging ends, rather than bythe pivot pins, and likewise the loose pivotal connections be'- tween the links 36a,31a and theears 33, 34' are such that stress is borne by the flanged inner end 35 of the cap 5. The ends of the links36 and 31 are formed with teeth 40 and 4I adapted to project intothe grooves 2| of collar 20 when the links are swung to expanded position so thatthe strain exerted on the links isborne by the collar rather than the adjacent pivot pins.,

When therod 24 is pulled outwardly against the action of the spring 28, the links are collapsed or retracted, as illustrated by the dot-andedash lines of Fig. 1, so that the bar I, linksand associated parts may be passed through the looped portion or eye 45 of a swivel shackle member secured to an anchor or mooring weight; and when the rod 24 is released, the spring 28 retracts the rod and expands the links so as to prevent the bar I, links and associated parts from being withdrawn through the eye 45, as illustrated by the full lines of Fig. 1, it being noted that tension exerted by the anchor chain 8 on the crossbar 4 is ineiective to collapse the links.

In use the shackle S is rst inserted through the eye 45 of a mooring weight or anchor A, as shown in Fig. 6, and the anchor chain 8 and control lines I2 and I2a may then be attached to the crossbar 4, cap 5 and head 25, respectively, after which the mooring weight or anchor and assembled parts may be dropped overboard into a harbor or anchorage. After the anchor has been positioned, the opposite ends of the anchor chain 8 and control lines I2 and I2a are attached to a buoy in the usual manner. The shackle S may be unlocked or disengaged from the anchor without disturbing the latter by slackening off on the line I2 and hauling in on the line l2a which collapses the links so as to permit the bar l to be drawn through the eye 45 along with the line l2. To return and lock the shackle to the eye 45 it is merely necessary to haul in on the line I2, the pressure of the eye 45 on the links 36a, 31a being eiective to collapse them so that the shackle may be drawn through the eye, after which the spring 28 urgesthe links -to expanded or locking position.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention it is understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A mooring shackle comprising an elongate bar having means by which it may be secured to a mooring line; a locking member pivotally mounted on said bar so as to swing inwardly relative to said bar from anormally locking position, wherein said barY and locking member engages a loop memberof predetermined size to prevent said bar and locking member from passing through said loop member, to a collapsed position, wherein said bar and locking member may be passed through the loop member; means yieldingly holding said locking member in locking position; and means connected to said locking member and attachable to a control line for collapsing said locking member so that said bar and locking member may be drawn through and disengaged from the loop member.

2. A mooring shackle' vcomprising an elongate bar having means by which it may be secured to a mooring line; a lug slidable longitudinally of said bar; toggle links, one of which is pivotally connected to said bar, and the other of whichis pivotally connected to said lug; resilient means acting on said lug so as yieldingly to hold said links in a normally locking position, wherein one of said links engages a loop member of predetermined size to prevent said bar, lugvand links from passing through the loop member, to a collapsed position, wherein said bar. lug and links may .bev passed through said loop member; and means connected with said lugv and attachable .to a. control line for sliding said lug longitudinally of said bar, thereby to collapse said links so that said bar, lugs, and links may be drawn through and disengaged from the loop member.

3. A mooring shackle comprising an elongate bar having means by which it may be secured to a mooring line; a member having diametrically disposed lugs slidable longitudinally of said bar; two pairs of diametrically disposed toggle links, the corresponding links of each pair being pivotally connected with said lugs and with said bar adjacent to one end thereof; resilient means acting on said lugs so as yieldingly to hold said links in a normally locking position, wherein one of the links of each pair lengages a loop ,member of predetermined size to prevent said bar, lugs and links from passing through the loop member, to a collapsed position, wherein said bar, lugs and links may be passed through said loop member; and means connected with said lugs and attachable to a control line for sliding said lugs longitudinally of said bar, thereby to collapse said links so that said bar, lugs and links may be drawn through and disengaged from a loop member.

4. A mooring shackle comprising an elongate, tubular bar having means at one end by which it may be secured to a mooring line and means at its opposite end by whichit may be attached to one end of a control line; said one end having a longitudinally slotted portion; lugs slidably mounted in said f slotted portion and having parts projecting laterally from said bar; two pairs of diametrically disposed toggle links, the corresponding ends of said links Ibeing pivotally connected with said lugsand with said bar adjacent to said opposite end; a helical spring disposed within said bar so as to act on said lugs yieldingly to hold said links in normally locking position, wherein the corresponding links of each pair engage a loop member of predetermined size to prevent said bar, lugs and links from passing through the loop member, `to a collapsed position, wherein said bar, lugs and links may .be passed through the loop member; and a. rod positioned within said bar and secured at its inner end to said lugs, the outer end of said rod projecting outwardly beyond said one end and having means by which it is attachable to the end of a second control line so that when pulled4 outwardly it collapses said links to permit said bars, lugs and linksA to be drawn through and disengaged from the loop member.

JOHN ELMER CI-IISHOLM.

No references cited. 

